Northamptonshire - 141 places to stay

Northamptonshire, or Northants, is situated in the very centre of England and is part of the East Midlands. Television garden guru Alan Titchmarsh described it as the 'Pancreas' of England, partly due to the shape of the county. It is an upland county, especially when compared to many of its neighbours, and includes the watershed between The Wash and The River Severn .

The central location of the county provides easy access to all areas of England, a fact which no doubt has led to its active and important role in British history since at least Roman times. The area was already inhabited by Pre-Celtic and Celtic people prior to the arrival of the Romans. The well known Roman Road, Watling Street, passes through the county and there was a Roman settlement known as 'Lactodurum' where Towcester stands today.
After the Romans departed, the area became part of Mercia, the Anglo Saxon kingdom. From this time Northampton began to operate as an important administrative centre and has since become the county town of Northamptonshire. Over the following centuries the area changed hands between the Danes and the Anglo Saxons, the legacy of this being that it is one of the few counties in England to have a mixture of Anglo Saxon and Danish town names.
Following the Norman Conquest, Rockingham Castle was built for King William. It was used as a royal fortress until Elizabethan times. Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire, now in ruins, is famous for being where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned whilst awaiting execution.
The importance of the area continued during later centuries as it became a stronghold for supporters of Cromwell during the English Civil War . The Royalist forces suffered a crushing defeat at The Battle of Naseby in 1645. As the political revolution was replaced by The Industrial Revolution, Northamptonshire became known as a centre for the boot and shoe industry. By the end of the 19th century, it was known as the boot and shoe making centre of the world.
George Washington, first president of the USA, was born of a family that had originally migrated from Northamptonshire. In fact the great-great-great-great-great-grandfather of George himself, Lawrence Washington had been Mayor of Northampton on several occasions during the 16th century. In more recent times the country estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire has become the centre of much attention as it is the family home and last resting place of Princess Diana . It has been in the Spencer family since the early 16th century and is currently owned by the 9th Earl Spencer, Diana's younger brother. The estate is open to the public and attracts many thousands of visitors. Althorp is, however, only one of many stately homes and castles worth visiting in Northamptonshire, which has been described as the county of 'squires and spires'.
The county is also home to the famous motor racing circuit Silverstone, host of the British Grand Prix , which was first held there in 1948. Northamptonshire also hosts the Santo Pod Raceway, a world famous centre for Drag Racing that has staged events such as the European Drag Racing Championships. The Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire is the largest stadium in Britain, with a capacity of 130,000 and house events such as British Superbikes.
In another part of Northaptonshire things move at a more relaxing pace. The county's history involves the British Waterways. The Oxford and Grand Union canals run through the county and join at Braunston. There is a flight of 17 locks on the Grand Union at Rothersthorpe and a canal museum at Stoke Bruerne.